Kemi Badenoch announced several new policies at the 2025 Conservative Party Conference. One key proposal was the Tories plan to imitate Reform and drag us out of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). There’s a problem for Badenoch on this front; namely that a majority of the public oppose such a move:
An idea which appeals to the frothing British media and online weirdoes but doesn’t appeal to the British public? That’s the Conservative Party alright, so it’s no surprise they’d throw their weight behind this equally unpopular proposal.
Farage’s shadow
As reported by the BBC, Badenoch said in 2024 that leaving the ECHR would not be a “silver bullet”. Now, however:
The Conservatives will take the UK out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if they win the next election, Kemi Badenoch has announced.
The announcement comes after a review by the Conservative party’s lead lawyer found staying in the ECHR blocks migration reform and leads to the persecution of military veterans.
When you count the ‘should remains’ and ‘don’t knows’ in YouGov’s poll, only 30% of Britons have positive feelings about leaving the ECHR. Feelings can change, of course, but the Tories face a similar problem to Labour on this front. Obviously they’re pushing further right to try to win back voters who’ve switched to Reform; the problem is copying Farage gives the impression that he’s ahead of the curve.
This is what YouGov’s polling found on that front:
Kemi Badenoch will be hoping that this move will help coax some of the voters the Conservatives have lost to Reform back into the party fold. Our survey finds that 36% of current Reform UK voters do indeed say it makes them think more positively about the Conservatives – although a similar number (39%) say it made no difference to their views, and that they continue to dislike the Tories.
Here are Farage and Reform in 2024 proposing that the UK should leave the ECHR:
We must leave the ECHR to stop the boats and secure our borders. pic.twitter.com/MwiiQ7Muo0
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) June 24, 2024
Starmer won’t stop the boats.
Only Reform UK will leave the ECHR, stop the boats and deport those entering illegally. pic.twitter.com/mvGQi4en1C
— Reform UK (@reformparty_uk) November 5, 2024
Here they are in June arguing that the Tories aren’t serious about leaving the ECHR:
The man Kemi Badenoch has appointed to lead her review into the ECHR doesn’t want to leave.
The Tories haven’t changed. They can never be trusted to control immigration. pic.twitter.com/bnfWwQ6Eb8
— Reform UK (@reformparty_uk) June 5, 2025
This is the advantage that the party on the right-most flank has. When Starmer or Badenoch try to adopt Reform’s rhetoric, Farage gets to say ‘they’re only pretending to believe this because they’ve seen how popular it is‘. It’s incredibly effective, and the only counter it is to simply not imitate the awful politics of charlatans. This is what Zack Polanski is doing, and it’s why he’s receiving so much pushback from the rancid British media:
“The whole frame of the migration crisis is a racist, fascist frame.”
Migrants are “not to blame” for the state of British public services, instead the answer is to point the finger at “private jets, millionaires and billionaires”, Green Party leader Zack Polanski says. pic.twitter.com/yOtgA4u7Ls
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) September 2, 2025
My secret evil plot to ‘destroy Britain’ has been unveiled by (checks notes) the same paper that endorsed Liz Truss.
If I don’t know better I’d say we’ve got them entirely rattled.https://t.co/0qbagSwgNX pic.twitter.com/ZYqoW2XO13
— Zack Polanski (@ZackPolanski) October 8, 2025
I’m never actually going to need to write another comment piece again am I?
The right wing shit rags are just going to keep recruiting for us.
Folks – want a better country?https://t.co/0qbagSvIYp pic.twitter.com/78ueZkp04Q
— Zack Polanski (@ZackPolanski) October 7, 2025
In defence of the ECHR
On 8 October, James Wright wrote for the Canary:
The rights the ECHR protects include a fair trial, freedom from discrimination, torture, and slavery, along with freedom of religion, thought, and the right to privacy.
He added:
Leaving the ECHR would also breach the Good Friday Agreement, a peace agreement between the UK and the North of Ireland. It would also mean repealing the Human Rights Act, which brings ECHR law into UK domestic law. And it would breach the Brexit deal, which commits the UK to the ECHR.
It was also the ECHR that offered to help the victims of Hillsborough, after UK state law failed. Other cases have protected journalist’s sources and transgender rights.
People have pointed out that right wingers have significantly exaggerated the impact of the ECHR:
When he tells you leaving the ECHR is to fix immigration – try some data checking pic.twitter.com/LGtFwD0e9e
— dave lawrence 🐟🐟🐠 (@dave43law) October 8, 2025
Every 4 years, the ECHR stops the UK removing 1 immigrant (average, 13 total in 30 years).
Every 4 years. 1 person stays here.
And this is the biggest political issue in the country right now?
Get over yourself ffs, come on!! pic.twitter.com/iFUrvDGnd8
— National Rejoin March (@MarchForRejoin) October 7, 2025
Additionally, it’s not even like the ECHR is an inherently left-wing institution:
🚨Winston Churchill at the Hague Congress in 1948:
“In the centre of our movement stands the idea of a Charter of Human Rights, guarded by freedom and sustained by law”.
This meeting was crucial in shaping the ECHR.
Maybe it is time to listen to those who faced down fascism. pic.twitter.com/nvBDk8OjuG
— Best for Britain (@BestForBritain) October 8, 2025
1. ECHR is nothing to do with EU.
2. I’m sure the Right will love this rare political quote from the Queen. pic.twitter.com/iVuFzhNWHp
— BladeoftheSun (@BladeoftheS) October 7, 2025
The ECHR isn’t a wish washy nice lefty liberal thing to have.
It’s a backstop for fundamental rights, including the right to strike. https://t.co/ZQVm2KzzQV
— Paul Nowak (@nowak_paul) October 9, 2025
reform not Reform
Remember when you were warned that terror legislation would be used by future governments to designate groups they don’t like as enemies of the state, and the establishment assured you this was overblown?
How’s that working out?
UNLAWFUL ARREST
This woman was arrested for holding a sign with “I do not support the proscription of Palestine Action” on it, a totally lawful statement to make, even under the Labour government’s absurd new laws proscribing the direct action group.https://t.co/xHyNnPtPT9 pic.twitter.com/4NrwWHZURl
— Defend Our Juries (@DefendourJuries) October 5, 2025
While it’s true that many Western institutions need updating and enhancing, allowing people who don’t care about human rights to overhaul how we legislate human rights clearly isn’t a good idea.
Will Labour see sense on this issue and fight against the bullshitters who are trying to turn this issue into another silver bullet?
If you’ve followed Starmer’s government, you probably know the answer:
Shabana Mahmood is the most authentic Blue Labour politician in the cabinet, appointment could pave way for a tougher stance on asylum hotels, small boats and the ECHR.
Also one of the cabinet champions of “contribution” as an anchor for government policy.
— George Eaton (@georgeeaton) September 5, 2025
Much like the Tories, Starmer and his cabinet are going to keep arguing that Farage was right all along, and Reform are going to reap the rewards at the ballot box.
Featured image via Conservative Party
